Highly recommend this vet. Dr Portillo in particular. My dog was not eating, ultrasounds showed kidney irritation but my local vet could not figure out why so they referred us to Valley Oak. They were able to get me in extremely quick considering Covid and dr Portillo found out within the first 40 minutes of his appt what exactly was wrong with him, diagnosing him with prostate cancer. She was one of the nicest, caring veterinarians I have come across and definitely want to bring all of my pets in to her from now on. read more

Valley Oak's used to be great! I used to feel as if my animals were a priority and were treated with the utmost care. However, the last time I took in my animal I realized a whole new side to Valley Oak Veterinary center. While they not only skipped protocol to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of my dog, but they sent my dog home with BOTH eyes injured. My dog could harldy see out of her eyes. Both swollen and bruised because of a muzzle that was clearly too small. A week later her eyes are still coated red and she will wines when she bumps her face. The Vet that we were given- Dr. Lahey- was completely unprofessional and unconsiderate. It's hard to get the whole story out because I have so much to say and I'm SO upset at the service here. I've lived in Chico my whole life and if you still believe that this is the best place to take your animal, I challenge you to look elsewhere and watch the service improve. You're animals should not get injured by the Vet. And you should feel welcomed and comfortable to communicate with your Vet. Please, please, please think twice, three times, shoot, FOUR times before even contemplating bringing your pet here. I've had two other friends that have had horrible experiences here and I have encouraged them to share their experience. I believe they need to get back to basics for helping all animals and stop trying to pull more money out of our pockets. Please just be aware of where you are taking your pets, I would hate for you to stay up two nights until 4 am icing your dogs eyes so she can see in the morning. I also encourage you to speak freely of your experiences here, whether they are good or bad. WE, the people, the coustumers, should be telling each other how these businesses are, rather than trusting their bias advertisments. Thank you. read more

THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THE MONEY! WORST VET EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD!!! Here's a quick breakdown: 1) I felt attacked by the vet who showed little empathy 2) They jacked up my bill from $450 - $1,500 3) They did not send me home w/ home care instructions 4) My cat almost lost his leg because of their negligence 5) They would have charged me again for another visit due to their negligence. Read on for details if you'd like... NO EMPATHY: I took my cat here in the early morning of Aug. 25th. The moment I walked in, Dr. Judith Vinson made me feel really embarrassed and SMALL. Obviously I was upset and rather shaken. I was there for an emergency, and the last thing I needed were her rude and snide comments. . My cat was going into diabetic shock (he's had a lot of health issues) and I rushed him there at 5:30 am. Her first comment was "he needs to be groomed. His teeth are TERRIBLE!". That will cause a lot of problems"... Well Judith, my regular vet told me last year that since he was so old (19 years old), that putting him under anesthesia was a BAD IDEA. I felt very JUDGED and EMBARRASSED by her comments. I felt attacked as soon as she walked into the examination room. Instead of asking me "why haven't you had his dental done?", you made a snide comment and made me feel really bad. Judith's bed side manor SUCKS! I was almost ready to grab my cat and cancel my visit and wait for my vet's office to open. If Groove Kitty wasn't in such a bad way, trust me, I would have! I was livid at how she was treating me! OVER INFLATED BILL: They gave me an original quote of approximately $450.00. The Dr. said she wanted to keep him for a few hours. I said that would be fine. They THEN brought another quote that was $1,500 to keep him for 24 hrs. I told them they were out of their mind & that is NOT what we discussed!!! I have taken my cat to the vet MANY TIMES due to diabetic shock. It has NEVER EVER BEEN that much.EVER. He has been diabetic for years, so this wasn't my first rodeo. This showed me that they were trying to squeeze every dime out of me that they could. I was appalled. When they finally brought my cat out, I paid my $515 bill and left. No one met w/ me to discuss at home instructions, etc. They certainly wanted their money, but could care less that I was an "emergency " and was rattled and probably should have had a tech or Dr. talk to me again before I left. At first, they handed me the WRONG BILL and asked me to pay it. Then, they found the right one. Finally I paid it... but WAIT... THERE'S MORE!!!.... LEG TRAUMA DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE: I got my cat home, and he wasn't feeling good, so he crawled under my bed. I too was very ill and was home resting as well. I gave him some food and we both went to bed that night. I woke up the following day and noticed around 12 noon, my cat had a dark green TIGHT bandage on his foot. His foot had swollen up THREE TIMES as large as his unbandaged foot! Because no one spoke w/ me regarding home care (which is VERY standard), I HAD NO IDEA THEY EVEN PUT A BANDAGE ON HIS LEG!!!! He is dark gray. The bandage was dark green. I didn't even know it was there. (he was hiding under my bed not feeling well) I called the Vet's office and they were a little shocked that I wasn't sent w/ "home care" instructions. They said because he was an emergency, it was overlooked (and yes that is EXACTLY what they told me). I said "BECAAAUUSSSESE he was an emergency, shouldn't I of ALL people been the one who had received those important instructions?!!!" They said they were sorry. I asked them if his foot swelling didn't go down in a few hours, I may need to come back, but DO NOT want to be charged, since THEY caused it due to their mishandling of releasing him. The person on the phone said (and I quote) "ummm, yah, sure, as long as you bring him soon, in the next couple of hours, we won't charge you." Well, I wanted to give it until the evening before taking him back in again. I was also sick myself and was hopeful to not make another trip. The woman basically gave me HER boundaries for not charging, even though it was 100% THEIR FAULT! She even said that I should have been told about his bandage and home care instructions. If they would have simply taken the time to tell me he had a bandage, I would have happily removed it. I had no idea it was there. IN CONCLUSION: I honestly feel that this veterinarian facility is only out for the money. They don't know what is going on in the front office. You pay them, and then they are totally done w/ you. I will never be taking my pets there again. It was THE WORST VET EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD!!!! Dr. Vinson shows little empathy when someone is there for an emergency. Wait for your vet's office to open if you can. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM. read more

Our dog was hit by a car last night and taken to Valley Oak by someone at the scene. It was a hit and run but some nice person stopped and helped. Thank you! When we arrived they would not let us see our dog. They wanted money first. Really? Wrong! They then shuffled us into a room where we waited for 20 minutes and gave us very little info on the dog when they finally came in. She had some serious injuries and her blood pressure was very low. We asked could she be saved? They said they weren't sure but they thought maybe. They suggested what they thought needed to be done still not letting us see our dog. They then presented us with an estimated bill that was between $3500 and $4700 and unless we paid, they wouldn't do more for her. We asked for a few minutes to think things over as we were still in shock and still not being allowed to get a visual on our dog to help us make the best decision for her. They came back in again prompting us to sign the invoice which would have then "obligate us" to be on the hook for the $3500 to $4700 before going any further. We again asked how she was doing and again could we see her? No was again the answer. They also wouldn't give us any hope that she would even make it through the night even if we paid. The entire experience just felt so wrong and all they clearly cared about was money. It's supposed to be about pet care. All they showed us was how greedy they were. So in order to see the dog for ourselves we finally said we have decided to put her down and end her suffering. They said ok then prepared a room for us to go into. I asked if we could just go into the room where she was and see her instead of them moving her and hurting her even more. They said she is on a gurney and would wheel her in. The next thing we see is them forcing her to walk in on a leash, on her own. They let her go when she got through the door and left the room. She did her best to wobble over to us. Our poor dog was in horrific shape and fell over on the cold floor. She was bleeding out of her mouth and nose and rattled with every labored breath. She had a hole in her head and on her side. When she realized it was us she sighed heavily and then went almost limp. I encouraged her to just let go and sleep. We yelled for them to get in there and administer the shot to put her down. Then they came in again and not with the shot but with yet another invoice for a different amount. I said get her the shot now and she left. 1 minute later another person came in with another invoice and a different amount than the previous person 1 minute before. They wouldn't put her to sleep unless we paid for it first. Seriously? In all my 58 year I ask you who does that? There was no regard for our poor dog or us. We gave them a debit card and again said give her the shot now! 5 minutes later after getting their money, they came in and gave her the shot and in 10 seconds she closed her eyes. VCA Valley Oak Vet is a disgusting place and they should be closed down after the behavior we and our dog were forced to endure. DO NOT GO THERE EVER. PLEASE BOYCOTT THIS COMPANY AND SEND THEM A MESSAGE THAT OUR PETS MATTER TO US AND THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS PRACTICE MUST END IMMEDIATELY. I know we are not alone in this and it has happened to many others. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. RIP Jemma. You can run free forever now! read more

Today was a reminder that I need to review Valley Oak Vet. I had to take my dog in because I thought he'd been bitten by a rattlesnake. He had not been bitten, but the way everyone took care of us made me want to review. We've been taking our pets to Mangrove and Acacia for 8 years before they merged into Valley Oak. I haven't always like everyone who I've worked with, and sometimes I've been frustrated with the techs, but overall, service has been great! Prices aren't too bad, especially since they go over almost every charge in advance, so you know what you're getting. Best of all, they really do care! Maria has become a friend of our family over the years, and today she just jumped in, whisked my dog in to be evaluated, and stayed warm and professional the whole time. She always has time for a quick and personal chat while she gets the job done. I am very happy to know that I can rely on the staff at Valley Oak to be there for me and my pets, whether it is for regular check-ups, or urgent drop-ins! read more

I am so disappointed in my pets last visit. We went in on a Saturday as a walk in since they don't make appts on the weekend. We were told that there was a little bit of a wait, which honestly I was ok with.. We waited in the lobby maybe 20 minutes at the most, which was great. However when we were taken to the exam room we waited almost three hours, we had to ask a few times if anyone would come check our dog. The staff reassured us that we were going to be seen. Well after the 3rd hour rolled around we finally left without any treatment. I know I will probably be billed the 135.00 weekend fee but I also have no interest in paying it since nothing was done. read more

I brought my dog in for an infection from a broken nail. They some how convinced me I better get x-rays done because they don't want to miss something and catch it late. $500 later "We don't know what's wrong with it have him take some antibiotics." I brought my cat in for a lung infection again they convinced me that an xray was important. $500 later the x-ray told them nothing. They then wanted to do multiple labs bringing the cost up to $800 I said no, and he was treated for a respiratory infection. They will try to use your pets life to extort more money from you on pointless labs and xrays. That's their money maker and they won't diagnose anything without it. read more

I am so thankful for Valley Oak. I took my little Susie pup one Saturday after some scary GI stuff going on with her and I couldn't be happier with the service I received! The front office staff was very helpful. Considering we were a walk in we didn't wait long at all (less than 30 minutes). Once we were called back the assistants were very sweet and gentle with my baby. Dr. Wrinkle was very helpful in explaining the possibilities. She gave my girl some fluids and medications and she was as good as new. The bill was not nearly as high as I was thinking either! Dr. Wrinkle also called the next day to let me know some test results and make sure everything was okay. Valley Oak staff seem like they truly care about our pets and us as pet owners! read more

They use to be really good but they must have changed hands. They can't even get my cats lab tests to the lab. I will never go back there again. They are the worst. read more

good doctors and staff doing their best with limited resources.

My dog has been a patient for 9 years and today we switched vets. Their customer service was friendly but basic. We waited over 1.5 hours as a walk-in, Tuesday at 10:30am. They have a sign posted with the order of operations for Triage protocol. My pup was there for her 10-year old wellness check-up and kept getting passed up. Their prices have risen significantly since the days of Mangrove Vet, the wait has tripled and the level of one-on-one care is lacking. No one acknowledge our patience, our years of service or a friendly goodbye and well wishes. It feels cold and is run like an institution. No thanks, not for her last few years, we can get better service and appreciation else where. Onto All About Pets where you can make an appointment and get in and out within 30 minutes!!! read more

VCA's person did reach out out to me shortly after my review i did not respond as I wanted to get my dog re-evaluated. I appreciate them following up however I am out an additional $700 for my diagnosis. I should have waited for my primary vet: my response is below ********************************************************************************************************** Good evening I did receive your messages, I wanted to wait to respond til i followed up with my vet because after the negligence that took place under your staff I wanted to have the facts. Bane has a viable injury to his spine that even i was able to identify when viewing his films. he was re-xrayed and put under reverse sedation with NO issues at his primary. I was there all of 2 hours with my dog in a very busy small practice. I asked for a TOTAL xray from your staff; I paid for that, his shoulders were NOT done if they were they weren't sent over (which he had an old injury there) and limited view of the spin. What bothers me most was a fully sedated dog under ACE still had on an agitation muzzle (seen in your films) with an already decreased RR he wore that muzzle from the time i dropped him off to when i picked him up! 10-pm he walked out wearing it, later defecating on himself. Let's now get to the diagnosis i didn't get, I worked this dog due to a poor and obsolete diagnosis from your staff, I continued to let him do bite work. I got zero instructions at discharge. I had a kennel attendant lead him up with NO instructions. He is now not able to work til possibly September, if at all this championship year. your vet couldn't palpate a soft tissue injury because she was scared ( I have the message on my phone) my vet was able too, however this was not soft tissue it was spinal. A jam from his work an old injury. I paid an additional $700 for all new films and a treatment plan since what i asked for wasn't done.You not only wasted my time, you put a dog under with too much sedation, and potentially caused my dog more harm due to a misdiagnosis from YOUR vet which reading reviews on your facility seems common. I will be seeing council and feel a portion of his office visit should be refunded. Tiffany read more

These people take advantage of people by charging outrageous prices. It's not about fixing animals, it's about making money. $90.00 for a pill I can buy at any other vet's for $22.00. Highway robbery....and they don't pay their staff a living wage. Just like WalMart. read more

Today we had the most TERRIBLE experience here. Came in with our cat who had a laceration in her mouth and was actively bleeding/in pain from an injury that occurred within 20 min from heading over. She was acting lethargic so her vitals got checked right away when we got there in about 5 minutes and we were told her bleeding stopped. This was was a LIE as two hours after, once we finally got a room, we checked ourselves to be sure and she was still ACTIVELY bleeding. We complained to the staff that she was not looked at properly and the assistant lied to our faces and that she was still bleeding, and nobody even batted an eye. We had to mention this multiple times. We decided to wait longer because we wanted her seen as she was hurt. We waited over 4 HOURS and ended up not even being seen because we finally got fed up of being lied to and left. We were told only 1 vet was on staff, for an emergency hospital this is UNACCEPTABLE. As we left, we decided to take her care elsewhere in another city, we complained for the 5th TIME about the wait/lack of compassion for our poor baby bleeding and in pain. As we were leaving I said it is total BS to have only one vet ever here as it's the ONLY emergency vet in Chico. The receptionist snidely remarked then that they actually had 3 vets on staff today. Yet we didn't get seen in the 4 hours we waited???? Every time we pushed to get our BLEEDING cat seen, they brushed us off claiming to be 'too busy' and 'understaffed' with only one vet, yet we get told they actually have 3. What's the truth? I don't know, they lied to us that our baby stopped bleeding, they lied saying we'd be seen right away, they lied that they cared about our complaints and our cat. THIS VET CARES ABOUT NOTHING BUT MONEY. They had no problem charging us the ridiculous $135 walk in fee, but GOD FORBID our cat actually get looked at and cared for. NEVER TAKE YOUR PETS TO VCA, they do not care about you, your pet or your time. They only want one thing, MONEY. My poor baby suffered for many more hours than needed because of their selfish actions and lack of urgency to help us. THE FIRST THING WE SAID WHEN WE CAME IN WAS IT WAS AN EMERGENCY AND SHE WAS BLEEDING from an unknown location in her mouth. And we have to wait hours and hours to just be lied to over and over again??? NOT OKAY. VCA should be shut down. I, for sure will NEVER be doing business with them again. I was expecting my baby to be cared for as I was literally CRYING IN THE LOBBY WORRIED ABOUT MY HER and they didn't give care at all. So unprofessional, rude, and plain terrible! SHAME ON EVERYONE OF YOU! I wish I could rate 0 stars. read more

this is the only place i will take my puppy to get treated. they're open until 5 on weekdays for regular exams, but 24/7 for emergencies including the weekends. it's a little pricier for weekend exams since they like to keep it open for emergencies. last time i was in, there was a mix up with my puppy's flea and tick prescription. i called in the morning to see if i was able to fill the prescription. i had spoken to two people on the phone who said it was possible and that it would be ready for pickup that day. i went in an hour & a half after those calls were made and i was told there was no record of the prescription being filled. the woman at the counter was very nice and accommodating. she fixed everything for me and i was able to pick up my prescription after waiting only 10-15 minutes. all the doctors and vet techs are so nice here. i always recommend this place to all my friends with fur babies! read more

Saturday Dec. 26 2020 I had to take my diabetic tuxedo cat to the hospital. You would think an hour wait to get in and telling the intake person he was diabetic that the first thing you would do is check his sugar. They had him for 4-5 hours and never checked his sugar. They told us he had liver failure or cancer, he had pancreatitis, he was jaundice and needed to be hospitalized and even a feeding tube. This would only cost me 5,000 dollars. Here it is Monday and took my cat to my vet. Yes his liver enzymes are up but my vet is trying liver pills to kick start his liver. This place makes me sick. I took another cat a few years back and they wanted to do all this stuff to him just to find out the next Monday that he had Feline Aids with one look from my Vet. I'm thinking it's all about the money and not the good of the animal. read more

A week ago, we had to make the decision to euthanize one of our three dogs. Our male Schnauzer, Hansel, had been stricken by a stroke and infection the night before. After a restless night and an extremely tense morning, my wife and I knew what we had to do for our very dear friend. I had reservations in contacting Valley Oak based on some of the reviews on line, but when you live in a remote northern California mountain location, you do not have many options. From the initial contact from our home and contacting the center upon my arrival, I was very impressed with the professional and caring manner shown to us. Yes, as in any services provided to consumers, there is a need to honor any and all charges incurred at the time of said services being rendered. This is not something one needs in moments like this, but as a responsible pet owner, you must be ready to meet your obligations for your beloved pet. I wish to commend Lisa, Ashley, Shaianne and Ryan for their empathy in easing the process. Dr Rengh's concern and care shown to Hansel and me made the final goodbye to our dear friend as best as it could be. I know there will be a few more times, unfortunately, in the near future needing to make these decisions again. I know we will be able to take comfort in knowing we can turn to Valley Oak in that time of need. Thank you all, again. Best regards, Dave & Pat, Chester. read more

OK, They have won me over. I was very frustrated with the staff the first few experiences I had, but with all new staffs, things can get confusing and they were. However, they seem to be working out the bugs and are becoming more of a well oiled machine. That is a plus. Large establishments can have difficulties in this area, but they seem to be getting staff aligned with vision and implementing policies that can keep customers satisfied and pets well. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Dr. Katia Lin. She is kind to the animals, has their comfort and well-being at heart, and is skilled. I am also impressed with their after hours service. The prices seem very fair and I am very comfortable taking my pets there. The staff is courteous and love my dog. They love everyone's animals and it shows. I am appreciative of the services they have performed for me and will return to them and recommend them to my friends. Thank you Dr. Lin and staff. read more

This place is a tad expensive but you get what you pay for. My cat Bruno was very sick , I had to euthanize him .. The Dr's and the employees are all very caring .. The let me hold Bruno as he passed.. This place is awesome.. Thank you read more

VCA Valley Oak Veterinary Center - A collage of my cat. - Veterinarians Near Me - Chico, California

My little girl's name is Sasha. She is a Japanese Chin dog and a rescue. Her age is around 10 to 12 years.She is deaf but is the most beautiful soul you will ever meet! She almost died on me and VCA in Chico saved her life! I will spare you the details because I'm not really writing about her, but about one very special nurse who took care of my little baby and me (I was a basket case)!!! This angel's name is JESSICA W!!! She went above and beyond even when my girl got to come home! Sasha refused to take the 2 oral meds I had to give her!!! Her 8.9 lbs was as strong as a Sumo wrestler!!!!! NOT kidding! I was afraid her neck would break from all her twisting! When I called and spoke with Jessica she took the bull by the horns for me. She was able to find a pharmacy that would make the medication into a pill form. (Who does that but an Angel from Heaven!) Sasha's favorite food is liver sausage and it makes for a great hiding place for her pills! I was on the phone with Jessica while she was investigating who could help me! She was so helpful and was able to get the meds I need!!! Please acknowledge all her hard work for me!!! She is one of the BEST!!!!! Also shout out to Lisa who works at the front counter as she was also a big help whenever I called in!!!!! ALSO!!! can not forget the night nurses who took care of Sasha when she was there Sat and Sunday! I couldn't have better care if I had been there myself!!!! They are ALL FANTASTIC!!!!!! Go Bless You ALL and thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!! read more

This review is in regard to one particular emergency visit for my 17 year old dachshund, Darwin. We were seen by Megan Rees. My poor old guy had been struggling with pain and vague symptoms for a few days, the most prominant being digestive upset. I had tried different things, but his pain was getting worse, and I hadn't been able to figure out what was wrong. Megan seemed very unconcerned with what could be causing his distress, and did nothing to as far as examining him, or palpating his abdominal area. I don't even think she checked his heart. She was very nice, and disturbingly nonc She did want to relieve his pain, and gave him a fentanyl patch, I asked for a pain shot since the patch doesn't kick in for 13 hours. Which she agreed to. All well and good, but I had no idea what was wrong with him. The shot worked for a while, the patch did very little for his pain. For the next week or so he continued to worsen, his pain got worse, which was mostly when he pooped, then it got to the point that even just urinating was painful. No pain medication seemed to help, so back we went ( because I couldn't get in to my regular vet). Now I was going to demand an ulra sound, to avoid anymore useless "pretend" medicine. This time he did get a quick exam, his distress was obvious, and I asked for an ultrasound. The vet told me it might be tomorrow before they could do it. I said,"Then I have to put him down, he's suffering too much, I can't just let him go on like this". So she checked the schedule, and Bingo, they could do it at 1:00. It was now noon. Miracle. I went over to Costco to wait for the results, when they called to tell me he had a large mass on his spleen, I was shocked, but not surprised. Shocked, because these past days of suffering and not knowing, was completely avoidable. There was no excuse for it! I had been complaining about Megan Rees and her lack of treatment to my friends and family, I knew there was something very wrong here. I complained and got names for my letter writing campaign......I was very upset. And of course during all of this dismay,I had to put Darwin down, it was too late for anything, his suffering needed to end. I was questioning myself, kicking myself, why did I listen? Why do I ever listen to these people? What little faith I had in them, was now reduced to zero. Fast forward two and a half months. I was forced to take my other dachshund Reba in, due to a back injury, and of course it was Sunday. I wasn't going to take any sub-standard treament, She needed an MRI, and that's what I was going to get, come hell or high water! When I went up to the desk, I told the guy doing check in, "Whatever you do, DON'T give us Megan Rees, she's terrible, she totally missed diagnosing my other dog. She has no business even being a vet". He looked at me puzzled, "Megan Rees? She's not a doctor, she's the Hospital Administrator". So there you have it. More shock, more surprise, more letters to write. Reba went to Davis for back surgery and is recovering very well. read more

Valley Oak represents itself as an emergency, 24/7 vet clinic but it is too poorly staffed to see animals in a remotely timely fashion, even on weekends when the need is clearly most pronounced and comes from an entire county. It charges quite a bit more than any other vet in Chico for similar services, so unless your animal is on the verge of death, consider avoiding this facility altogether. read more

This veterinarian clinic is no good. I recommend that readers read the negative reviews; they all share common complaints. I bring my dog here and they require that you pay first before getting any service done to your pet. Next, they forget about you and now with COVID-19 they make you wait in the parking lot and really forget about you. I brought my dog cuz he was seriously sick, they asked for $150 upfront and I have sat in their parking lot for 2 hours already. They are good if and when they get to you but beware that your pet may die waiting to be seen. Avoid this scam of a vet clinic. They only care about collecting your money and once you pay, they've got you in the hook; their way has to be ilegal. If you're in Chico, there are many more good vets who represent good ethics and live up to the standards they swore to uphold. Don't go here. This is my last time too. This place is a chain, like any other chain with cookie cutter mediocre service. Don't bring your loved one here. Somehow they have managed a way to monopolize the emergency market in Chico. This has to be ilegal. read more

I generally don't write negative reviews about services, however, I would like to warn everyone about the poor service at this clinic. I arrived Sunday afternoon at about 1:45 with my cat who had a bad bite on his beck. I waited until 4:00 to be seen by a vet, while at least 15 other patients, including patients who arrived after me, were seen. When I asked about how much longer I had to wait, I was told that I was "next", while many other patients went in. Even in the examination room, I waited for an extremely long time and when asked when I would be seen, the answer was "next". Obviously these were untrue responses, I I wasn't given a response concerning how long I might have to wait. I would not recommend this vet clinic. read more

Lazy and rude. I went to pick up my cat after spaying. No customer was there except me and they still took 30min to bring her up to me and I had to constantly remind them and the front desk male was being sarcastic for no good reason. They also say they will notify you and they never do! read more

My husband and I have a very sick cat at home, and our primary vet referred us to Valley Oak so we could get an ultrasound to find out what was wrong with our kitty. We were seen by Dr. Esh, and I just have to say that he was wonderful, so kind and compassionate towards our Benny. Dr. Esh exemplifies the kind of bedside manner that one would appreciate from a human doctor. And in that one visit, he was able to figure out what was wrong with our cat. As sick as Our Benny was I was so scared that we might lose him, but he has only been on the medication the doctor gave us for a couple days, and he has all ready improved so much. I can't thank Dr. Esh enough for putting the pep back in my young kitty's step. I only wish I had gotten the name of the nurse who was helping because she was just as kind and caring towards Benny. They were both amazing. read more

i would not recommend this vet hospital to anyone!!! this place is no longer a locally owned and operated vet hospital...it is a franchised type, large corporation owned,national chain. i went in because my dog had been sneezing,and had a slight nose bleed,that had stopped by the time i got there. i thought maybe he had something in his nose.. i paid them 135 dollars for them to take my dogs temp, and then....... if i wanted them to look up his nose ,it would be anothe 650 - 820 dollars to see what was going on up there.......outrageous fees...things have really changed at valley oaks.and not for the better... read more

Very helpful and responsive. Clear about costs up front, and they lay out treatment options for you. You can talk to the veterinarian in the appt and they take their time. I called for a follow up multiple times and got to speak to the vet each time - within twenty minutes. Yes, probably more pricey then others in town, but well worth the cost to have someone available twenty four hours! read more

worse place ever took my dog there after she has a seizure they said they did her blood work and xr and found nothing but a few months later when she got worse I took her to a different vet who did X-rays and she had cancer all in her body and I had to have her put down they also refused to see a dying dog that was badly injured by a hit and run and he was dying but wouldn't come out to help the poor baby read more

I seriously hate having to bring my dog here. They are extremely overpriced and the wait is excruciatingly long!!!! The only reason I do is because my dog has a heart issue and they have the only heart vet in the area with an echocardiography. I never bring any of my animals here except in case of emergency and my dogs heart issue. Very very expensive. Not where I want to spend 3 hours after working all day. read more

Went in on a Sunday with no appointment and was in and out in about 75 minutes. My cat had an abscess and ear mites in one ear. They cleaned him up quickly and nicely. Ramiro, the Veterinary Assistant was fantastic and very thorough. It ran about $288 which is well worth it to me. This is the only place I take my pets. It's fast and convenient. read more

They are crooks. The wait time is always long, and they are only interested in your money. They charged me $500 dollars to get my dog fixed a few months ago, and my friend got it done for less than 100 at another vet. And the next time I took him in, all they did was stick a thermometer in his butt and charged me $100 dollars to do that. That was unnecessary and they didn't even TELL me about the charge until I was billed. I am in college and they have completely taken advantage of me. I will never go back. Save your money and go to a different vet. read more

I really do love this place. We have rescued two dogs and both have had medical issues. One is a parvo survivor and the other had FHO surgery because of a past injury. It can be crazy at times, but it's an emergency pet center. I wouldn't expect anything else. I feel safe bringing my pets here and the people there have always been nice and answer all my questions. read more

This place is not even worthy of one star. Drove two hours for emergency pet service for my dog whose leg was cut open to the bone. After a two hour wait I was informed that there were no surgeons on duty. They charged me $135 to tell me the news. My dog had to suffer a whole night until I could take her to a vet closer to my home. Do not bring your pet here as it will be neglected and you will be ripped off. read more

We brought in our boston on a Friday before 5 due to extreme lethargy and lack of appetite, as in no appetite. Our boston has been diagnosed with congenital kidney failure and has a special diet and pills. We brought our boston in again on Sunday when he stopped drinking water In addition to the above mentioned symptoms. The good: vovc called to check up after both visits the following day. The not so good: we brought in our boston because we believed it to be an emergency. We were not treated like an emergency at all (although we were charged like one). We waited almost an hour just to be taken back, where we waited again for a vet tech, and then waited longer for a vet. We didn't feel like we were listened to-we were asked several times if our dog had consumed marijuana, to which we responded each time with the same answer "no." We were told that the best option would be to keep him overnight...even though no one knew what was wrong!? We declined and they administered him a subcutaneous fluid pack. We were quoted a price- and given an itemized list, but the total when we went to pay was about $100 more. Vets are expensive you say? I agree and if we had anything out of this 3 hour ordeal besides a " here's some pills your dog that isn't eating needs to take plus a we'll call you" we would've been much more understanding of the price. We took our dog back on Sunday because he had stopped drinking water and had begun vomiting. No one knew anything. No one glanced at the chart/ computer screen that we had been there 2 days ago. We answered all the questions for the vet tech. Then the vet. It's a pretty unsettling feeling that 48 hours ago this facility was attempting to keep our dog overnight for an exorbitant price to help heal him and now it's like he never existed. Again, we were given pills for our dog and sent away with the likelihood that our dog would need an ultrasound to tell us more. But we're told that we could leave him overnight....for a price. A few days passed, we tried to schedule an ultrasound to which we were told one wouldn't be available to us for at least 48 hours...we called around to another vet we've previously seen and they got us in he next day for almost $150 less than what VOVC was going to charge us. In short, I felt like the nice, spacious facility lacked communication and information. We also could hear EVERYTHING that the vet techs and receptionists were talking about aka where they were drinking later. I know people have lives but it's pretty unprofessional when people are scared and waiting for their dog to get better to hear about someone else's wild and crazy Friday night. read more

Once again, Dr Jim Esh and his Vet Tech, Caroline have gone above and beyond to help my cat with CHF and Pulmonary disease. I've been bringing my cat to Dr Esh for 12 years now. He and Caroline NEVER disappoint. Dr Esh's knowledge is extraordinary and Caroline's compassion is supreme!! I just have no other words to describe my ultimate satisfaction with this dynamite veterinary team. THANK YOU!!! read more

THE SUMMARY: Valley Oak was NOT the place for me. I love my cat and wanted to save her but I am not upper class America. I need to pay reasonable prices for basic pet care and would rather walk into an old building with a small staff for this then walk into a beautiful building where prices are so inflated I can't even PRETEND I could consider the quote : ( THE DETAILS: Took my injured cat in on a Sunday (regular office hours). I was FIRST there at 8 am. Had to wait too long (over 1/2 hour) to see a vet. The staff was friendly and very courteous. They gave my kids coloring stuff and offered me coffee (all great...but I really just wanted to see the damn vet because my cat was suffering). The facility is gorgeous (brand new) and very clean. The vet diagnosed that in addition to a toe that probably needed to be amputated, she had likely been hit by a car and needed surgery for a huge hernia (which I believe was accurate). The vet was very kind and gentle and I liked her bedside manner. I really can't complain about the staff at all (4 star)...but I can about the ridiculous cost (1 star). I think they must be trying to pay off the new building and machines. The quoted cost of surgery was over $2,000 (not counting if there was more found to be wrong). Yikes. But the real "holy crap" is in the details...Xrays $190 (let's get real...in this digital age I bet that's a pretty hefty profit margin!) Surgery around $500 (seems very high to me for size of animal and what needed to be done to fix her up). They also charge over $200 for an overnight stay for a cat. REALLY?? Plus a ton of other costs like lab work, meds, etc. that most were probably necessary...but the prices seemed VERY inflated to me. The vet was very understanding and kind when she saw my sticker shock. She made a few suggestions on things that weren't 100% necessary to bring cost down (skip xrays and just see what's in there during surgery, skip lab work. skip overnight stay (tons of added risk to this), barter on the surgeon cost (ok, sorry...this just goes to show they are charging more than they should if they can "come down" on cost). After all that it STILL wasn't reasonable to me. The changes would make it a gamble/shoddy job and I'd be out over a grand if she didn't make it. So I sadly had to choose euthanasia. Of course I was upset so I didn't even look when I signed for that. So I get home and realize they charge $92 on top of the $52 exam cost (maybe took 5 minutes). REALLY!? My regular vet charges $65 for euthanasia (still high if you ask me) and less for the office visit too. It's a little vial of liquid and it takes 2 minutes. WHY would they charge that much?? 40% MORE than another regular vet in town. I've already paid for the visit! Is their euthanasia going to send my kitty to a better heaven? Have some freakin' sympathy. I'm an animal lover and am willing to do what I can for my pets within REASON. I'm not the kind who would give my cat chemo or my dog 3 pills a day for the rest of their life at $10 a pill. But I've paid several hundred dollars on a procedure before (say up to $600). Maybe I've been to too many small-town country vets in other towns I lived in where the office and staff is small....there aren't MULTIPLE receptionists, nurses, vets AND "surgeons"...and there isn't so much overhead they have to charge astronomical prices to cover it all. My pets were always taken great care of and I left not feeling ripped off even when I wrote a check . read more

RIPOFF ALERT: I took my cat in for an exam because she had a scrape on her shoulder. They talked me into the hiv and leukemia tests then took hours to perform them. The cart just needed an antibiotic shot and a rabies shot. They gave me a written estimate for 177 but when i got there they charged me 268. This is illegal and unethical. The service was actually incredibly slow and the front desk Staff was unorganied and stressed, no one seems to know what to do. So, of you want good service and not to be surprised when you pick up your pet because of padded bills, go somewhere else,!!!! read more

The staff was either friendly and incompetent or unfriendly and authoritarian. I had a 7:30 apt. That's early and my cat is fussy. We were a couple of minutes late (6 minutes at the most). They fuss over my cat for a second and forget to check me in. I sat there for about 25 minutes before politely asking if anyone had checked me in. The staff saw me and interacted with me so I don't know why this was on me. They then make a big deal about how great it is that they're "honoring my apt" and not making me pay double for being late (they are the ones who didn't check me in). The apt happens. The vet is rude but I believe what she's saying. I mention that my cats ears are itchy. She looks and takes a swab (not saying 'hey that's another $100 or that the swab alone is $50.') I'm all for people getting their fair share but $50 for a 45 second thing sucks when the only equipment is a qtip. At several points the vet conferred with her assistant outside the room and was talking poorly about me. I didn't have a proper place for the medicine. That was a big deal. The aid asked I was a couple minutes late but could we still honor the apt price (which I came for) and the woman says "ha. She was NOT just a couple minutes late but whatever we'll give her the..." (trailed off - guessing she pointed). I hate the pet care in this town. This woman was just not a people kind of person read more

Our pup Charlie got sick, and we were frantic to find a 24/7 vet place as well as worried because we are new to the area. We were welcomed with such warm and kind greetings. Seriously the only place we have felt welcomed and such kindness since moving to the area over a year ago. Everyone was so kind and understanding. Everyone was so sweet and our boy who is usually hesitant was such a lover with all the staff even we were surprised. Our Charlie could truly feel how much the staff there loved their jobs and animals. Thank you for everything VCA!!!! Just a heads up they do expect payment at time of service and do not offer payment plans. They do however help you with applying for Care Credit as well as other options if you do not get approved for Care Credit. They are really good with working with you when it comes to payment. Also so would like to mention the complaints about the wait. Please keep in mind this is a Hospital in every respect but just specializes in pets. I work in the medical field and just like walking into a Hospital ER you never know how long the wait will be or if a bigger emergency will come while you are waiting. For example we waited but were also understanding do to the fact that an emergency dog attack had just come in. Go in with the mentality of just like waiting in a Hospital ER, and the wait will not bother you as much. read more